Standards Norway approves in principle of a standard which gives the users the best possible access to their old documents. However, we find too many weaknesses in OOXML to be able to approve of the submitted document as a proposal for an ISO standard in its current form.

Many of these weaknesses stem from the attempt to unify the considerations for the exisitng body of documents with the considerations for future documents. This leads to a complexity which is not comprehensible, with regard to openness and interoperability. The comments and suggestions from Norway include solutions which make it possible to serve these two needs. The comments reflect the input we have received during the commentary period.

Considering this, and in accordance with ISO directives on how an approval should be expressed, Norway should cast the vote "no with comments and suggestions for changes".

A ballot resolution meeting in ISO in February will process the comments which are being sent in, and suggest solutions which address the comments from the member countries. At the end of this meeting Norway can change its vote to an unconditional yes, in case we are of the opinion that our comments have been resolved.

In case the outcome of the ballot resolution meeting process is a majority in favor of the standard, ISO will send out a revised version for final vote ("Final Draft International Standard - FDIS")

(list of contact persons at Standards Norway)
(link to Norway's comments to ISO)